2005 ASC Stinger Pontiac GTO

(from ASC Press Release)  SC Incorporated, a full-service specialty-vehicle design and development partner for automotive manufacturers, today unveiled an enhanced version of the Pontiac GTO. The vehicle made its world premiere at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit at ASC’s press conference at the show.

The Yellow Fire Pearl-colored ASC GTO Stinger features several new, aggressive-looking body panels made using both ASC’s RIMForm™ low-investment composites process and ASC’s OmniCarbon™ carbon-fiber process for low-volume production as well as a short-throw Tremec® 6-speed transmission, a scooped hood, a state-of-the-art Sony Xplod® sound and DVD system and a custom Borla® “cat-back” dual exhaust. A Magnuson supercharger on the concept unveiled here today has the potential also to take the horsepower to 550 ponies (and the 0-60 mph number to 4.3 seconds).

“The GTO Stinger is a Goat with a lot more ‘billy,’” said Jeff Steiner, ASC’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, referring to the Pontiac GTO’s longtime street moniker. “We believe there’s a lot of interest from the American consumer in a GTO with the Stinger’s kind of aggressive stance and strong visual appeal to complement the GTO’s strong stock powertrain. Our vision is to test the market interest in this concept as a potential ASC dealer-upfit offering. We will be looking for input from both dealers and consumers to determine the level of interest, suggested product content and potential price points. Based on feedback we receive, we will determine any production plans for the vehicle.”

ASC has a long history of performance-vehicle upfitting. In the late ‘80s, the company oversaw all vehicle integration for the classic ASC McLaren Buick Grand National GNX model, recently named by Automobile magazine as one of the “100 Coolest Cars” of all time. In the ‘90s, ASC provided the custom composites hood and other components that helped the Pontiac Firebird TransAm WS6 model sell almost 40,000 units over five years, versus an original plan of just 6,500 units over three years. And, more recently, ASC has displayed its ongoing heritage as a low-volume manufacturer with its production of the Dearborn Deuce Convertible™, winner of two awards at the 2004 Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association show—“Best-Engineered Product” and “Best Street-Rod Product” runner-up. To date, more than 250 Dearborn Deuce Convertible™ units have been sold. They are built at its Reeck Road Assembly Plant in Southgate, Mich.

ASC’s RIMForm™ and OmniCarbon™ Processes

Low-volume derivative programs like the ASC Stinger GTO are made commercially viable, according to ASC, through the use of proprietary low-investment tooling and manufacturing methods developed by the company.

The vehicle’s RIMForm™ composite components include: an all-new hood with dual functional scoops; all-new, aggressive-looking wheel flares, front and rear; custom two-piece fascias, front and rear; and custom two-piece rocker panels.

Its OmniCarbon™ components include: a “stinger”-style spoiler with carbon-fiber appliqué on deck lid; custom carbon-fiber fascia inserts; carbon-fiber appliqués on both exterior mirror surrounds.

Continuing with the theme, interior appointments include custom leather seats with a vertical carbon-fiber-look inserts and yellow racing stripes down the seat centers; a carbon-fiber-look rear-seat “waterfall” area between the rear seats; and carbon-fiber-look door trim on both doors.

Topping off the package are custom honeycomb-mesh grille inserts; custom 4” exhaust tips; fog lamps with custom aluminum trim; 19-inch Axis Hiro® anthracite-colored wheels, front and rear, shod with Dunlop SP Sport™ 9000 tires; Wilwood Engineering® 13" front with 6 piston calipers and 12" rear brakes with 4 piston calipers; and a six-speaker Sony Xplod® multimedia entertainment system, including an 7 1/2-inch dash-mounted LCD DVD screen, providing state-of-the-art entertainment in the interior.

“We’ve looked at every aspect of the vehicle, starting with exterior styling and interior enhancements but also the extra performance items you see on the Stinger,” said Marques McCammon, ASC’s director of business and product planning. “All in all, we think there are several different package variants that are possible with this vehicle that no GTO enthusiast, or would-be enthusiast, can ignore. We at ASC will definitely be interested in gauging the public’s reaction to this car at the show next week.

“Thanks to ASC’s low-investment, quick-to-market RIMForm™ and OmniCarbon™ processes, components of the Stinger, or the entire package itself, could be ready for production in as little as nine months,” continued McCammon.